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"Out here, we let nature decide what is Christian and what isn't. I think God understands it. This is survival. We've been hit with a blizzard, killed a bear, and a cat. I won't lose any of you to mishaps. We're going to the fort. We're leaving. We're getting out of here, now!" The rush in his voice made them realize even Aiden was affected by what happened.
Just the sound of his voice was enough to hush them all. Emotion ran deep now, and silence was the only solace.
They trudged through the snow their faces pale and unreadable. Lucy had taken one last look at Lone Knife, as silent tears rolled down her cheek at the massacre. She'd been witness to wars, but nothing prepared her for the blood bath the cat had managed.
"Even as a child he played war all the time." Lucy muttered. "He would never have consented to peace."
"You're probably right about that."
Later as they camped that night, Frank and Gloria stuck together and Gloria cooked, Pumpkin and Angus seemed more than unusually quiet. Lucy helped but they didn't talk. They were all just going through the motions.
"Go easy on the food ladies, we have to make do until we hit civilization once more." Aiden warned.
Frank joined Aiden taking care of the horses. "I suppose we did the best thing, but it's tragic."
"Yes, it is. No one feels any worse than I do about it. But I can't say I feel too bad about Long Knife."
"Who was he?"
"Part of Lucy's tribe."
"What did he want with her."
"He wanted her. After her husband died, she was promised to Long Knife. But Long Knife had killed an Indian maiden. Lucy saw it, and was afraid of him, running from him."
"Why?" Frank seemed curious and concerned.
"Let's just say he was not a good man and leave it at that."
"How did he find her?" Gloria asked.
"He's a born tracker, for one. Probably been tracking her for some time. With all of us around tracking became easier for him. Lucy left the tribe because of him. In some ways it was a blessing he was killed."
"Blessing?" Gloria stared with a frown. "How can you say a death like that was a blessing."
Lucy stared into the fire now, as a tear ran down her cheek. "After he killed the girl, he found me, raped me and threatened to kill me if I told his father." Lucy muttered her voice strained, her face a mass and mixture of emotions.
Angus shook his head, "Then he got what he deserved."
"That's how I see it." Aiden nodded. "You see, Lucy witnessed his raping her friend, and him killing her. Then he raped Lucy and threated to kill her if she spoke up. Lucy was afraid of him, all this time. That's why she's here, she was trying to escape him, all along."
"I don't understand, why didn't he kill her when he had the chance?" Frank asked. "If that was what he was after."
"Because she is the Spirit Woman of her tribe. He was afraid to kill her. For he knew if he did, his tribe would kill him."
"My God, your poor child. I can't believe all of this." Gloria came up to Lucy.
"As much as I disliked him, I did not wish this upon him. And yet, for my people it is a blessing, for he would have led them into a war he could not win. The Creator took care of it for me. And I am glad it worked out this way. I did not want him to cause a senseless war either."
"It would seem," Frank studied the ground as he spoke his expression serious now. "We have all been through a lot on this trip. And perhaps learned a lot about ourselves in the process."
"I think you are right about that" Aiden agreed. "Considering it all, we should all be thankful we are alive and well."
"But there is a blessing in it. We're all closer to each other for it." Gloria glanced at Lucy and hugged her.
"For that I'm glad." Aiden nodded.
"Did anyone else know what he did?"
